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en-usEngadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronicsCopyright 2018 AOL Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.https://www.engadget.com/2018/02/14/qualcomm-snapdragon-x24-lte-2-gbps/https://www.engadget.com/2018/02/14/qualcomm-snapdragon-x24-lte-2-gbps/https://www.engadget.com/2018/02/14/qualcomm-snapdragon-x24-lte-2-gbps/#comments

Even as the race toward real-world 5G picks up steam, LTE technology as it exists will remain crucial for most of us in the next few years. Qualcomm's latest gigabit LTE modem, the X24, can reach speeds of 2 Gbps (where supported by carriers) -- a significant jump from the 1.2 Gbps promised by its predecessor, the X20. And just as that modem was eventually embedded into the Snapdragon 845 chipset announced in December, it's likely that the X24 will be integrated in Qualcomm's next premium mobile chip, which we can expect to power many of next year's flagships. In fact, you can expect it to show up in commercial devices in the first half of 2019, according to the company's announcement video.

At first blush, iFixit's tech autopsy on the iPhone 8 didn't reveal anything particularly notable, besides some different screws and a way to remove the glass backing. So far, so meh. But then when it came to the laundry list of chips and modems all crammed inside Apple's latest smartphones, we noticed something. It looks like the company has made its first gigabit LTE phone, capable of substantially faster download speeds. Or at least, the iPhone 8 could have, if it had everything else.

Nestled inside your cellphone is a teensy sliver of plastic you almost certainly never think about. That's your SIM card -- the bit that basically stores your phone's identity and passes it along to whatever wireless carrier network you pay for. It's absolutely crucial to the way your phone operates, but wireless carriers and network companies have been plotting its demise for years. As far as they're all concerned, the future belongs to what's called an eSIM -- short for "embedded SIM" -- woven directly into the silicon fabric of a device's modem. Now, thanks to some crucial announcements made at Computex, we're getting a better sense of just how pervasive these things are going to be.

You may have heard about this thing called a gigabit phone recently. The term was thrown around a lot during the launch of Samsung's Galaxy S8, since that's the first commercially available handset to support the technology. But gigabit will also be included on Sony's Xperia XZ Premium and other high-end phones, which means you'll probably hear about it a lot more later this year. And it's going to be a big deal.

Yesterday Verizon announced the launch of Fios Gigabit Connection, as "the nation's largest deployment of gigabit Internet connection service." It even promised a $70 per month price standalone, however, as people tried to sign up a few shortcomings have become evident. First of all, it's not quite 1Gbps speed, with downloads reaching a maximum 940Mbps and uploads stopped at 880Mbps. Further, its pricing scheme is more complicated than the announcement advertised, with that $70 price (that doesn't include the charge for a modem or other fees) only available to new customers.

A Denver apartment complex is the first to get gigabit internet speeds from Google via its wireless Webpass service rather than Fiber. Webpass specializes in multi-unit internet service using point-to-point wireless tech instead of cables. The company already offers its services in Boston, Chicago, Miami, San Diego, Oakland and San Francisco (above), but Denver is the first new city since Google acquired it last year.

You may think of 5G as the next fast wireless standard, with speeds ranging from 400 Mbps with AT&T all the way up to 5 Gbps and beyond. LTE isn't quite dead yet, though, and ZTE has launched the first device that supports the gigabit LTE standard just ahead of Mobile World Conference (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain. Called simply the ZTE Gigabit Phone, the company says it'll make "360 degree panoramic VR video, instant cloud storage ... and fast cache of ultra Hi-Fi music and movies possible."

Remember last year, when Qualcomm pulled back the curtain on its X16 LTE modem? At the time, the chipmaker touted peak download speeds of up to 1Gbps for smartphones, even though gigabit speeds were (and are) basically impossible to experience in the wild. Still, the age of super high-speed wireless data is fast approaching, which is why Qualcomm just announced that it's bringing that X16 modem to cars. It will be a while before you get to torrent movies in a flash from the comfort of your Chevy, though: The modem is baked into a new module reference design that carmakers will likely adopt further down the line.

Comcast has been very careful to call its X1 setup a "platform" and not simply a cable box, and now it's licensing the tech for use on an internet TV service. Canadian provider Rogers will roll out IPTV to its gigabit internet customers in 2018 using the X1 platform, although there's no word on whether or not it will include the Netflix app. Before that happens, however, Rogers says customers on its current cable setup can expect more 4K video and 4K DVR features in the next year.

Altice USA may not be the most recognized ISP name out there, but the country's fourth-largest provider is about to get a big upgrade over the next five years or so. According to the company's roadmap, Altice plans to bring high-speed, 10 Gbps fiber lines directly to its 8.3 million customers starting in 2017.

LinkNYC's free, gigabit-grade WiFi is all over large chunks of New York City, but there's a conspicuous Brooklyn-sized gap... or rather, there was. The communication network has switched on its first two Brooklyn kiosks, both of them on Fulton Street in the Bed-Stuy area. Don't worry about having to visit a small part of the borough to get no-cost internet access, though. There are nine other Brooklyn hotspots due to go online in the weeks ahead, including some near LIU-Brooklyn and Prospect Park.

Google announced on Tuesday that it plans to "pause" the planned expansion of its Fiber high-speed internet service in the 10 cities it had been looking into and will eliminate a number of positions in those cities -- 9 percent of the division's total number of employees, according to Ars Technica.

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ars technicafibergeargigabitgoogleinternetlarry pagesan antoniosan franciscowebpassTue, 25 Oct 2016 19:18:00 -040021|21591777https://www.engadget.com/2016/10/18/netgear-mr1100-snapdragon-x16-gigabit-lte-telstra/https://www.engadget.com/2016/10/18/netgear-mr1100-snapdragon-x16-gigabit-lte-telstra/https://www.engadget.com/2016/10/18/netgear-mr1100-snapdragon-x16-gigabit-lte-telstra/#comments
We're still years away before 5G fully goes live, so for now, Qualcomm continues to build on top of current 4G LTE technology to bridge the gap. The latest development on this end is the launch of the Netgear Mobile Router MR1100, which is the first mobile device to feature Gigabit LTE connectivity thanks to Qualcomm's Snapdragon X16 LTE modem. If all goes well, the lucky folks in Australia will be the first to use this device, as it'll be launched on world's first Gigabit LTE network courtesy of Telstra and Ericsson. According to Qualcomm's announcement at its summit today, Telstra will be launching its new speedy service "in the coming months," which means it could be this year or next year.
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4gcristianoamonericssongadgetrygadgetsgeargigabitgigabitlteinternetltemr1100netgearqualcommsnapdragonx16telstrax16Tue, 18 Oct 2016 01:25:00 -040021|21585561https://www.engadget.com/2016/09/20/atandts-project-airgig-could-be-a-wireless-alternative-to-fiber/https://www.engadget.com/2016/09/20/atandts-project-airgig-could-be-a-wireless-alternative-to-fiber/https://www.engadget.com/2016/09/20/atandts-project-airgig-could-be-a-wireless-alternative-to-fiber/#comments

Bringing gigabit internet to rural areas is usually an expensive proposition -- but soon, it might not be. AT&T Labs today announced Project AirGig, a new wireless internet delivery system that carriers high speed internet service over power-lines without actually tapping into the physical wired infrastructure. More specifically, AT&T plans to mount hundreds of tiny radio stations atop telephone poles to bring high-speed internet to customers without laying down new cable.

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airgigat&tattattlabsgeargigabitinternetprojectairgigsciencevideoTue, 20 Sep 2016 18:52:00 -040021|21475966https://www.engadget.com/2016/08/18/comcast-gigabit-internet-trial-chicago/https://www.engadget.com/2016/08/18/comcast-gigabit-internet-trial-chicago/https://www.engadget.com/2016/08/18/comcast-gigabit-internet-trial-chicago/#comments
Comcast has already revealed its plans to bring gigabit internet service to Atlanta and Nashville, and now it's now offering the option in Chicago on a trial basis. Like those other two cities, the cable company will use a DOCSIS 3.1 modem to deliver the 1Gbps speeds over its existing infrastructure. The new service is priced at $140 a month without a contract, plus any adds taxes and fees. As Consumerist notes, Comcast doesn't mention the option to sign up for three years and get a discounted rate, but it does say that it will "test promotional pricing during the trial period."

Hoping Google Fiber will come your way soon? The Alphabet subsidiary just made an acquisition that could help it roll out high speed internet faster. It agreed to purchase Webpass, a company that currently has "tens of thousands" of customers for high speed internet in the Bay Area, San Diego, Chicago, Boston and Miami. Webpass is notable because it's used high-speed point-to-point wireless technology as well as fiber to link up apartment buildings and businesses without having to wait for a physical link, and offers its customers speeds of up to 1Gbps.

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acquisitionalphabetfibergeargigabitgooglegooglefiberinternetispservicestl16gigabitvideowebpassThu, 23 Jun 2016 01:31:00 -040021|21400472https://www.engadget.com/2016/06/07/comcast-brings-its-gigabit-internet-service-to-nashville/https://www.engadget.com/2016/06/07/comcast-brings-its-gigabit-internet-service-to-nashville/https://www.engadget.com/2016/06/07/comcast-brings-its-gigabit-internet-service-to-nashville/#comments
Comcast announced that it's beginning an "advanced consumer trial" of gigabit service in Nashville. It's the second area to roll out the DOCSIS 3.1 cable modem powered speeds after Atlanta, and it doesn't look like the policies have changed. Customers living in areas where it's available can get the 1Gb down / 35Mb up speeds for $70 with no bandwidth cap... if they're willing to agree to a 36 month service contract. Otherwise, a 1TB capped offering is available with no contract for $140 per month. As DSL Reports points out, the contract offering should keep customers tied up until whenever Google Fiber properly rolls out... almost as if it were planned that way.

At last, Comcast's promised gigabit internet rollout is starting in earnest. The cable giant is beginning an "advanced consumer trial" of the extra-quick, DOCSIS 3.1-based broadband in multiple Atlanta neighborhoods, with additional cities coming this year. You'll have to make a big commitment if you want in, though. It costs $70 per month if you lock yourself into a 3-year contract, and it's an eye-watering $140 per month if you want the freedom to leave at any time. And it gets worse: if you don't commit to that contract, you'll have to accept a 300GB monthly data cap that's trivially low for the speed. Assuming you max out your connection, you could blow through your limit in 40 minutes.

That sound you heard was the collective sigh of relief from legions of Bay Area tech workers. At long last, Google has announced that it's bringing Fiber to San Francisco -- the heart of the industry will finally get to see how Google's gigabit internet service works in practice, not just in tests. The company will use existing fiber optic deployments to wire up apartments and condos, and residents in affordable housing projects will get it for free.

Until now, Google has had to build Fiber's gigabit networks the hard way, either from scratch or by making deals to use some existing lines. It's about to try something new, though: the search firm is bringing Fiber to Huntsville, Alabama by using a not-yet-finished municipal network. Huntsville Utilities will "design and construct" the fiber optics, while Google and other providers will simply ride on top. There's no timetable for when Google Fiber will be ready (that's contingent on Huntsville), so you shouldn't expect to sign up any time soon.

While our wireless carriers bicker over who offers the fastest service, Qualcomm went and pulled back the curtain on the Snapdragon X16 modem, a dry sounding bit of networking tech with huge implications. With it comes the promise of insanely fast gigabit LTE download speeds... but shouldn't hold your breath waiting see your Ookla Speedtest results shoot through the roof.

Google started its gigabit Fiber program in Kansas City and now some of the area's low-income residents will be first to get the service for free. The company is now hooking up homes in Fiber neighborhoods as part of its pledge to the White House's ConnectHome initiative. The program will help school-age kids study using the internet so they have the same opportunities as kids from more well-off families. "We've wired 100 homes with Fiber, and families can sign up today to access the Internet at up to 1,000 Mbps," said Google Fiber VP Dennis Kish in a blog post.

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connecthomegeargigabitgooglegooglefiberinternetkansascitywhitehouseWed, 03 Feb 2016 12:41:00 -050021|21307243https://www.engadget.com/2016/02/02/comcast-docsis31-gigabit/https://www.engadget.com/2016/02/02/comcast-docsis31-gigabit/https://www.engadget.com/2016/02/02/comcast-docsis31-gigabit/#comments
The slow march toward blazing fast internet is upon us, and Comcast is bringing its DOCSIS 3.1 gigabit service to a few more cities. Soon the fine people of Atlanta and Nashville will be able to (likely) pay through the nose for the ultra-speedy connectivity, with it opening up to those in Chicago, Detroit and Miami in the back half of the year. It's worth noting that good number of those are cities where the company has bandwidth cap tests in place.

We've been charting the progress of LinkNYC for the past year -- from a mere concept to a legitimate replacement for New York City's payphones. Now as LinkNYC has begun installing its gigabit-speed wireless hotspots, I sat down with Colin O'Donnell and Dave Etherington of Intersection, the company behind the project, to discuss their progress so far. On top of providing free internet, the kiosks will also offer smartphone charging, free voice calls, and local information. Of course, it's all ad-supported.

It's always been an intriguing concept, but LinkNYC is now coming into focus as a potentially groundbreaking upgrade for all New Yorkers. Its blistering fast gigabit speeds is significantly faster than any commercial ISPs (even Verizon FiOS), and LinkNYC isn't planning to limit users in any way. In fact, as O'Donnell and Etherington tell us, they wouldn't mind it if the service actually replaced people's home internet provider.

Comcast's gigabit internet access doesn't officially go live until sometime in 2016, but that isn't stopping the company from flicking the switch a little early. The cable giant recently activated what it says is the first public-facing DOCSIS 3.1 cable modem in the world -- a fortunate customer in Philadelphia now has the kinds of speeds that previously required either a partial fiber optic link or jumping through lots of hoops. There are additional tests running in parts of Atlanta, northern California and Pennsylvania, too.